Movable book support



O 1952 w. B. HALEY, JR

MOVABLE BQOK SUPPORT Filed NOV. 25, 1949 w. m W y -T o A 8 u H m H a M wm w aw vv w J mm Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICEMDVABLE 1300K SUPPQRT William B. Haley, J12, Albany, Ga.

Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 128,935

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to certain new and use ful improvements inrollable book supports for use by bookkeepers and persons whose workrequirements involve the employment and handling of rather large oftenunwieldly double entry and analogous books for posting, copying orreading.

An object of this invention is to support a book on a book support whichincludes a pair of plates inclined toward each other so as to form adihedral angle, said plates being spaced from each other an amountsufiicient to form a bookbinding recess, whereby the book is held in theconvenient position of having both of its covers angled slightly towardeach other and whereby the book is held firmly due to the accommodationof the bookbinding in said space or recess.

Another object of this invention is to render it possible to swing theentire book through a larger or smaller are so that the book may bepulled toward the individual rather than the individual walking to thebook, the adjustment of the arc of travel being provided specifically totake care of the requirements of various individuals desiring a largeror smaller arc, the choice being made from volition or due to spacelimitations.

Ancillary objects anad features such as the accommodation of the booksupported in such a manner as to allow for additional working space infront of the book and below the book, will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art, in following the description of the illustrated formof the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top View of the device;

Figure 2 is a bottom View of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 33 ofFigure 1 and in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line l-Q ofFigure 3 and in the direction of the arrows.

By way of introduction to the detailed description and brieflysummarized, the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is adaptedfor use on a stationary desk or work table with a smooth, flat,horizontal work surface, is characterized by a portable roving-typesupport for holding and shifting unwieldy double entry and similar bookswhile posting, copying or reading comprising a mobile carriage,optionally movable in arcuate paths across said surfaces and a base, asingle pair of elongate tapered carriage supporting and shifting rollersattached for free rotation to the underside of said base with theirsmaller distal ends converging toward each other, said rollers, thusattached serving to cause said base to incline downwardly toward saidsurface in a direction away from the user, and an oppositely inclinedbook support unit tilted in a direction toward the user and embodyingtwo dihedral rectangular plates mounted intermediate their transverseends on said base with distal end portions overlying a portion of thebase and proximal end portions overhanging and projecting beyond theproximal edge portions of said base.

Persons working with books, as accountants, bookkeepers and other menand Women engaged in various professions, find it necessary to pullheavy books on the top of a desk toward them or alternatively, walk toand from the book in which they desire to work. Various devices havebeen made to minimize this labor and to otherwise cope with the problemspresented. It is one of the intentions therefore of the invention toimprove both in a structural and functional manner on prior artconstructions in this specific field of endeavor.

A mobile carriage is an essential unit and this embodies a base Itprovided with a pair of rear hangers l2 and It (Fig. 2) which arepivoted adjacent the rear of the base plate it. These hangers areswivelly or pivotally connected with the undersurface of the base plateit and have roller shafts l3 and 28 disposed therein. These rollershafts accommodate rollers 22 and M which are in the shape of frustrurnsof cones. The smaller truncated ends of the rollers are near to thehangers or bearings 52 and i l, while the larger ends have their shafts28 and 28 respectively projecting therefrom. These shafts are disposedin hangers or brackets 38 and 32 having apertures therein. The aperturesaccommodate screws releasably disposed in selected threaded openings 3-5, which are formed in the base plate 56. Hence, when it is desired toadjust the ends of the rollers toward and away from each other, it isnecessary only to make the necessary movement of the brackets 32! and32. The resulting operation is selectivity in the arc of travel of thebase It when the device is moved laterally on a flat surfaced table topor other relatively stationary surface.

The rollers 22 and i l are of such size and mounting as will allow themto roll (Figures 2 and 4). The center of taper of the rollers lies atthe center or" the rotatable axes of the two tapered rollers. In thisadjusted position there uprights36 and 38 respectively are fixed to thetop of the base plate 16 supporting the book.

rest or support unit generally indicated at 40. The substantiallytriangular uprights are fixed to any convenient part of the top surfaceof the base plate 16 and are held in place by any conventional means, asscrews, spot welding, rivets or the like.

The support unit 40 embodies a pair of duplicate spaced parallel plates42 and 44 which are inclined toward each other thereby forming adihedral angle therebetween. The plates are supported by the uprights 36and 38 and are spaced from each other in order. to form a bookbinderaccommodating recess 46-. Longitudinal strips 48' and 50 are fixed tothe plates adjacent their inner longitudinal edges. and form sidewalls'for the bookbinder accommodating recess 46.- The bottom of thisrecess is closed in by a panel. 54 attachedt'o the bottomsurfaces of:the members 48 and.50- and which panel is disposed in. the. notch 56formed in the front or proximal edge of the base plate I6- (Figure 4)The uprights 36 and 38 dispose and maintain the book support unit at anangle with respect to the horizontal as well as said base unit so thatthe book (not shown) supported thereon isg-in, a convenient inclinedplanefor both readi giand; Writing. Due to theangle of inclination,stops; or ledge. forming member 58 and 60 respectively are, provided.The stop 58 is secured to the front end ofthe plate 42,.whi1e the otherone. 60 is secured to the front end:of the plate.- 44. The lower edge ofthe book is adapted to rest against these stops enabling the latter to.serve as ledges.

Due to the angularity ofthe support 40-, a counter-weight 62 is mountedon the outer endof the base plate 16 so that when the weight of apersons hand rests on the book, it will not. besufficient to cause the.device to pivot about the front edges of the rollers and topple over.

By having the front endof the support unit elevated as disclosed inFigure 3 and projecting forwardly of the base unit, a space therebeneathis. provided for accommodation of papers and. the like therebyproviding. additional use for working surface for the individualemployingthe invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asncw. is;

1. For use on a stationary desk or a work table having a smooth fiathorizontal work surface; a portable roving-type support for holding andshifting unwieldy double entry and similar books while posting, copyingor reading comprising a mobile carriage optionally movable in arcuatepaths across said surface and embodying a base, a single pair ofelongate tapered carriage supporting. and shifting rollers attached forfree rotation to the underside-of. said .base with their smaller distalends converging toward each other, said rollers, thus attached, servingto cause said base to incline downwardly toward said surface inadirection away from the user, and an oppositely inclined book supportunit tilted in a direction toward the user and embodying twodihedralrectangular plates mounted intermediate their transverse ends onsaid base with distal end portions overlying a portion of the base andproximal end portions overhanging and projecting beyond the proximalportions of said base.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein. the adjacent longitudinaledge portions of,.said' plates are disposedv in spaced parallelism...

3. The structure defined incl'aim2', and. coun-v terweight means carriedby the distal end por-. tion of said base, and: book retaining ledgemembers carried by theproximal end portions oflsaid plates.

4.-The structure definedin claim@2,, wherein said base is providedin itsproximal edge portionwith notchmeans and wherein; a panel-is. seated insaid-notch.means, is: attached to-the: undersides of said plates, isdisposed; in. a plane.

7 below the plane of-said-plates,spans-the space between said spacedlongitudinal. edge. portions.

and defines an open ended channel, the, latter adapted, to accommodatethe usual bound. portion of. the stated book.

WLLIAM -B. JRL,

REFERENCES CITEDv The; following, references are Of-ITGCOIfdx in; the;filel of. this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

451,632. Burdick .May 5, 1891 660,143 Davis et al. 1 Oct. 23,1900676,749 Hazlewood June 18, 1901 753,484 Goodman Mar. 1, 1904:

1,117,386 Hughes Nov.'1 7, 1914 1,258,230- Lewis et a1. Man-5, 1918'1,278,584 Buchheit Sept. 10,;1918 1,666,803 Walker Apr. 17,19281,827,166 Pharr Oct. 13,1931

